The word bracteate (from the Latin bractea, meaning small piece of metal) is used to indicate two kinds of objects: gold medals worn as jewelry during the 5th to 7th centuries AD, and small silver coins used by German-speaking peoples in the early medieval period, commencing circa 1130 in Saxony and Thuringia. "The bracteates were usually called back regularly, about once or twice a year, and could be exchanged for new coins with a deduction (Renovatio Monetae). This system worked like a demurrage: People wouldn't hoard their coins, because they lost their value. So this money was used more as a medium of exchange than for storing value. This increased the velocity of money and stimulated the economy." - Wikipedia Here is a bracteate of Wilhelm von Montfort, abbot of Gallen: Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) with cruciform standard and banner. This is an exceedingly thin coin at 17mm, 0.3g, and it's a miracle any of them have survived for their fragility. In fact, I have found only two of this type sold by CNG, none elsewhere. If anyone knows of any other examples, I'd like to see them. Other types seem to abound, but not the Lamb of God coins of Montfort. SWITZERLAND, Sankt Gallen (Abtei). Wilhelm von Montfort. 1281-1301. AR Bracteate (17mm, 0.3 g). Struck 1295-1301. Obv.: Agnus Dei standing left, head right; cruciform banner behind; all within linear border; beaded circle around Rev.: Incuse and reverse of obverse. Reference: HMZ, Schweiz 1-475a; Bonhoff 1820-1; Kestner 2574; Reichmann 2204; de Wit 2453.
I have to wonder how these were made. I'm guessing a hub was carved, from which a die was cast, then the hub was used as a stationary die while being struck by the movable incused die?
Here are some relevant visual aids, the Cathedral of St. Gall, and the Plan of St. Gall, the only surviving major architectural drawing from the roughly 700-year period between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the 13th century. Click on the Source links for larger resolution images... Source Source
Could they have used one set of dies, being as thin as it is made as a struck through coin? very cool though.
I thought of that as well - either a hub or die, and the planchet was simply pushed onto it with some sort of flexible material. As you say, the silver is so thin, it could have worked.
oh wow, that's awesome. i've seen these a few times, but didn't know anything about them. they always catch my eye however. here is a bit midway on this page about how they were produced... http://muzeydeneg.ru/eng/?p=693
Super Chris! Thank you. Here's the relevant passage from that link. It doesn't sound like English is that author's first language, but he does a good job of describing the process nonetheless... "Manufacturing technology of the bracteates was gradually simplified. The intermediate coin between the bilateral denarius and bracteates is so-called thin penny or half-brakteates. This type of a coin appeared by itself. The weight of the denarius was constantly decreasing, and the diameter of the coin remained unchanged. Because of this the circle of coins had become so thin that the image on the obverse and reverse appeared on opposite sides, thereby distorting each other. The solution was found in the one-sided mintage. Round pieces of the required weight were cut out of a thin sheet of flattened metal. In order to make the silver foil coin acquire its stiffness and gain the ability to keep its shape, the print had to have a fairly high relief. First of all, this required a stamp, with deep relief. To prevent the piece from breaking during the coinage, some pliable base like lead, tin, felt or leather was put under the metallic circle. The result was a coin with a very dimensional image, the lines of which served as ribs, prolonging the short life of bracteates."
